DHS Urges Lead Testing for Young Children (UNDATED)
Wisconsin health officials are using National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week to remind parents to get young children tested for lead exposure. The Department of Health Services says testing rates have rebounded since the pandemic, helped by a recommendation that all children be screened at ages one and two. Still, about 3,000 Wisconsin children under six are lead poisoned each year. Health officials say a simple blood test is the only way to know if a child has been exposed and to connect families with available services.
Early voting up one week out from Wisconsin midterm (UNDATED)
More than half a million absentee ballots have already been cast for next week’s election. The Wisconsin Elections Commission reports more than 513,000 absentee ballots had been returned as of Tuesday, including about 251,000 cast through in-person absentee voting. Early in-person voting began October 20th and continues through November 1st, although hours vary by municipality. In the 2022 midterm election, nearly 742,000 absentee ballots were ultimately returned statewide, including more than 318,000 cast in person.
Wisconsin’s bear harvest exceeds expectations (UNDATED)
This year’s Wisconsin bear hunt exceeds expectations. The Department of Natural Resources reports hunters registered a preliminary total of 4,275 bears during the 2026 season, about 3% above the state’s harvest goal. According to the DNR, hunter success was 28%, close to the five-year average. Wisconsin’s black bear population is estimated at more than 24,000 animals, with the highest concentrations in northern Wisconsin. More than 146,000 people applied for a bear hunting license or preference point this year, a record high.